Increments and Instants
by YumiDoesTheMacarena
Summary: It wasn't something they intended or even wanted, but when it happened there wasn't so much as a single instant of regret. 100 sentences exploring the path from enemy to lover and beyond.


Title: Increments and Instants

Genre: Romance

Summary: 100 sentences devoted to my favorite non-canon Sakura couple.

Warning: Contains minor language and a torture-interrogation scene. Also, for clarification's sake: the numerals proceeding each sentence are the prompt numbers and have nothing to do with chronology.

Enjoy!

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5. Seeking Solace: The cave had two entrances; neither of the shinobi ducking out of the storm realized this until they saw one another for the first time in three years.

54. Tower: They stood at the same time and moved in, spitting vitriolic remarks, and she realized that he was... surprisingly short, actually, not much taller than her though his presence seemed so much larger.

1. Introduction: "It's not, 'of the Akatsuki', hmm—it's just _Deidara_!"

4. Dark: They sat across from one another in the almost-silent blackness, faces only occasionally illuminated by the flashes of lightning each found nostalgic in acutely painful ways.

27. Foreign: "It's not a speech impediment, it's a damn _dialect_, hmm!"

82. Can You Hear Me?: "Are you even listening to me, you murdering _terrorist?!_"

14. Smile: He fought, walked, talked, and slept with a smirk on his face and she knew that very well, but the first time he smiled at her it was awkward and just rough around the edges enough that she couldn't help but smile right back as her heart throbbed.

6. Break Away: Sakura suggested to her unit that they split up when she caught sight of the tell-tale flash of gold off to the left, and she made sure they knew not to follow as she dropped to the spongy forest floor and darted in that direction.

3. Light: There was something to be said for the shine in her eyes when she watched him mould his art, but he could never quite figure out _what_.

47. Creation: It was impossible to say which she liked more: Deidara's statues, Deidara's explosions, or the look of fierce pride on Deidara's face when he viewed his art.

52. Deep in Thought: With his hands under his head and his eyes closed, it was a testament to how much Deidara trusted her that his thoughful expression didn't so much as flicker when Sakura sat down next to him on the river bank.

31. Flowers: "... and then there's Ino, my best friend who works in her family's flower shop and is a shinobi and... kinda looks like you, actually, and is that an _iris_, I thought you only made animals!"

84. Out Cold: She evenutally learned an unconscious Deidara was a nonthreatening Deidara... a surprisingly cute one.

99. Solitude: He didn't like being alone anymore; he always felt that there should be a reassuring and slightly floral presence at his side.

24. No Time: There were enemies, there was his girl (and when had he begun thinking of her like that?) and there was no time for thought; only action.

40. Rated: "I'd give it a eight for execution but a three for originality," she says of his explosions after the fight, and he cuffs her over the head in retaliation before storming off.

9. Drive: There is something in Deidara that never allows him to settle for anything less than the _next_ best thing he can achieve, and she seems to understand that.

11. Memory: Sometimes he thinks back on the first time he saw Sakura and wonders what the _hell_ he had been thinking, insisting on fighting the loudmouthed Jinchuuriki instead of her.

22. Mother Nature: Deidara didn't believe in fate, but he was becoming increasingly convinced that it was possible for the world to conspire to bring two people together, for what other explanation could there possibly be?

48. Childhood: "It wasn't a good one and I'd rather leave it at that, hmm."

26. Tears: The first time he made her cry was when she learned of the purpose of the seal on his chest, and Deidara found himself utterly perplexed as to why _that_ of all things would be what set her off.

34. Stars: She likes looking at the reflection of the night sky in his eyes because they make it even more beautiful.

53. Keeping a Secret: "I don't think I've ever had a secret this big before and I feel a little guilty for it, but to be honest you're completely worth it."

30. Under the Rain: He scrambled across the muddy ground towards her and dragged her soaked and limp form into his lap, bending over Sakura while sharp raindrops beat a tattoo against his back and shoulders, honestly unsure if he was crying or not.

42. Standing Still: She fit herself into his arms and just clung to the back of his still-damp shirt and listened to his heart.

58. Kick in the Head: He shattered the moment with his words a moment later: "So it turns out I'm in love with you, hmm."

60. Rejection: "Are you INSANE—no, wait, I know you are, but seriously, _what the hell, Deidara?_"

71. Obsession: "I'm an artist with an obsession; why can't you cut me some slack, hmm?"

98. Puzzle: "Are you saying that you love me because you're obsessed with me?"

97. Safety First: Eyeing her raised fist, he shook his head quickly and said, "No, I _really _love you."

100. Relaxation: "Oh... that's, um, alright then," she mumbled, and, blushing, tipped her face hesitantly to his.

56. Danger Ahead: "If we do this, there's no going back," he whispered, then kissed her anyway.

45. Illusion: When he declared her perfect he did not expect her response to be "Is this a bad time to mention that I'm a genjutsu-type?"

2. Love: It wasn't something they intended or even wanted, but when it happened there wasn't so much as a single instant of regret.

91. Drowning: His kisses made her wish she didn't have to breathe.

96. In the Storm: When she gave herself over to passion of any kind there was _nothing_ more beautiful than the spark in her eyes.

50. Breaking the Rules: "It's kind of exciting, sneaking away and meeting with you like this."

44. Two Roads: "Well... you could run away with me," he proposed, only-half joking.

61. Fairy Tale: They didn't have a fairy tale romance, and Sakura liked things just fine that way, thank you very much.

90. Triangle: To be entirely accurate, unless Sasuke had been in love/lust with Naruto, Sakura has never actually been in a love triangle, and she hopes never to be after hearing about the Pein-Yahiko-Konan disaster from Naruto; just Deidara is more than enough for her to handle.

21. Vacation: Running up to him, she reached out and tugged on his hand while saying, "I've amassed enough vacation time for a two-and-half-month-long trip, so let's _go_ already!"

85. Spiral: With the woman clinging to his waist like a lifeline, Deidara decided to have a little fun while they flew...

78. Drink: Somehow it wasn't a surprise that Sakura was a happy drunk; it balanced out his maudlin behavior.

23. Cat: "No, I don't care how cute it is, I am _still _allergic!"

51. Sport: The bewildered look on Deidara's face when she smacked his shoulder, shouted "Tag!" and launched herself into the trees above them was absolutely worth the exhaustion induced by the chase that followed.

7. Heaven: Deidara thought a peaceful afterlife was for optimistic dreamers—he knew where he would be going when he died—so he decided to fit as much of it into his life as he could in the form of a petite kunoichi with gleaming cat-like eyes.

38. Abandoned: When encountering Sasuke while wandering the forest with Deidara's fingers laced with hers, Sakura felt none of the chill or rejection that had haunted her for years; that was a part of herself she had left well behind and her heart and mind were focused on more important things and people.

89. Through the Fire: Already burned and bloody, he lunged through a storm of flames and smoke to reach her; Sakura felt her heart stop at the vision of fierce beauty.

15. Silence: It never ceases to amaze her how quiet Deidara is while injured or dying.

28. Sorrow: "Take the worst betrayal you've ever experienced and then multiply that heartbreak by about a hundred and you _might_ begin to get what I felt when I woke up on that bench."

95. Advertisement: "According to this there's an apartment in the next town for rent on a weekly basis... it's pretty cheap and _apparently_ has a pretty good view."

92. All That I Have: For just under two months they lived in utter peace and contentment in a village on the coast and wanted for nothing.

79. Starvation: There was some things about his time in Iwa that Deidara would never tell Sakura; that didn't mean she couldn't figure some things out on her own, and the way he kept track of their food and how his ribs always stuck out just a bit was pretty self-explanatory.

87. Food: _Of course_ the bastard could cook better than her, too.

32. Night: The days spent wandering the village together in peace and playfulness were still somehow nothing to the nights spent in one another's arms without fear of discovery.

37. Eyes: When their eyes met, it was clear that there were conversations going on that no one else understood, and the whole of the town look upon their guests indulgently.

83. Heal: It was when she repaired a _sunburn_ on his nose after a walk on the beach that Deidara realized Sakura just didn't like seeing him hurt at all.

62. Magic: How an explosive clay butterfly could turn into fireworks, Sakura never wanted to know; she just enjoyed the thoughtful and elegant gesture.

25. Trouble Lurking: Deidara laughed happily and dropped himself to the ground next to his pack, arms slung over his knees, all the while blissfully unaware of the masked shinobi in the trees above him.

59. No Way Out: It was a neat little trap, Deidara grudgingly admitted as he finally inhaled the fumes on the soaked cloth held so tightly over his nose and mouth.

8. Innocence: "For the last fucking time, I didn't do it, hmm!"

16. Questioning: "Now tell me you little worm, what were you doing in Fire Country!?"

17. Blood: His blood is on the walls and the weapons and the woman's hands, but none of that is as disturbing as the moment when she leans in and licks his bleeding lip; every cell in his body seems to rebel against the forced intimacy and for the first time in six hours, he feels worn down and disgusting.

43. Dying: He could feel his heart giving out and see that his vision was fading under the tender ministrations of the bat-shit crazy woman standing over him; then a blur of pink entered his sights and Deidara could only smile because he _knew_ what that expression meant.

13. Misfortune: After her chair leg broke, her tea cup cracked down the side, a black cat crossed her path, and she dropped her hand mirror, Sakura learned of the successful capture and ongoing interrogation of one Deidara of the Akatsuki.

10. Breathe Again: Sakura had to literally fight her way into the interrogation room and then punch out Mitarashi Anko before she could get her hands on Deidara and repair the damage done to her lover's lungs... and everywhere else, while she was at it.

20. Fortitude: "I've lost _both arms_," he breathily reminded her as she mended his shattered ribs, "so this is nothing... hmm."

35. Hold My Hand: Naruto had never seen anything quite so astonishingly _appalling_ as that moment when Sakura plopped herself down on the newly-healed "ex-"Akatsuki member's lap, lifted his hand in both of her own, and pressed a soft kiss to the mouth there.

36. Precious Treasure: "There is nothing more important to me than her—the rest of the world can hang for all I care."

33. Expectations: "I expected better of you, Sakura, and I'm extremely disappointed in your quite frankly treasonous behavior-but I'll give you one chance to explain why I should sign this pardon."

49. Stripes: "A tiger doesn't change its stripes," Tsunade warned her while handing over the paperwork, but Sakura only smiled and held his hand tighter.

18. Rainbow: He has worn black for so long that it's hard to imagine himself in any of the myriad of colors hanging on the racks in the clothing store.

19. Gray: Sakura suggests that he start with gray and figure things out from there, so he grabs service pants labelled 'charcoal' and a button-up the exact color of wood ash.

12. Insanity: Her friends thought she was mad, and she knew they would never understand beauty as she saw it.

29. Happiness: The people of Konoha didn't understand his presence at her side or the way the two moved together, but Deidara didn't give a shit and Sakura was starting not to as well.

66. Traps: "So, I was thinking maybe we could go to this ramen stand I know for dinner..."

68. Hero: She hadn't exactly _known_Naruto would be at Ichiraku, but she had strongly suspected.

69. Annoyance: Ino's presence on the other hand was entirely unanticipated.

64. Multitasking: Eating ramen without slurping embarrassingly was not, in fact, made any easier while trying to mediate between three hot-headed blue-eyed blonds, and Sakura _almost_considered cutting the whole lot of them from her life completely.

72. Mischief Managed: It was with no small amount of bickering and abuse that almost four hours later Naruto accepted Deidara into the group.

67. Playing the Melody: _Of course_ he could play the damn guitar—what _couldn't_ those hands do?

63. Do Not Disturb: There was a lock on the door of her office at the hospital, and they abused it gladly several times a week.

41. Teamwork: Konoha was under attack, but with Sai and Deidara's birds the shinobi were able to get the drop on the enemy (literally) and Deidara thinks the painter would have made a pretty good partner in the Akatsuki.

86. Seeing Red: There was a kunai to Sakura's throat; none of these men were going to live more than five minutes.

57. Sacrifice: "Don't make the mistake of thinking I want you to get yourself killed fighting for me when I would much, _much_ rather you _live_for me!"

73. I Can't: His only response was, "Then don't make me live without you."

55. Waiting: He sat next to her in Sasuke's trial and held her hands in his while the jury of her peers filed back into the room, knowing she cared but didn't want to, and knowing that no matter the outcome, he would spend the night with a shirt damp from tears.

76. Broken Pieces: It didn't matter how badly the red-eyed bastard had hurt Sakura; she knew with absolute certainty that Deidara could mend any damage done to her heart.

74. Are You Challenging Me?: A shout drew their attention, and the couple turned inwards and looked over their shoulders to see an almost familiar man with a chuunin vest wearing green spandex with tears in his eyes and a fierce expression as he stared at their joined hands.

77. Test: "I wish to duel you for the right to Sakura's hand in marriage!"

75. Mirror: "Have you _seen_yourself, hmm?"

65. Horror: She was torn between smacking her boyfriend for his brutal remark and bludgeoning Lee with his own leg for bringing up the 'm-word' in the first place.

94. Last Hope: "If I can prove myself stronger than you, she might take notice of me!"

93. Give Up: "Look, I get that, but I'm fighting for the love of my life here-you can't honestly expect me to just throw in the towel, hmm!"

46. Family: There are some things he has never thought or even wanted to be possible, but now he dreams of children with his eyes and pink hair and tiny mouths in tiny hands and smiles when he wakes up and sees the woman at his side.

81. Pen and Paper: She found the note and pen on his pillow one morning while the sounds of him puttering in the kitchen reassured her to his presence: _Want to get hitched? Circle Yes/No_

88. Pain: Giving birth must hurt like a bitch, she thought while listening to Ino's screams from the other room and holding her unusually pale husband's hand-the one that wasn't on her slightly protuberant stomach.

70. 67%: The chance that his child would inherit all three mouths was by no means _low_, and secretly Sakura prayed that the one on the chest would be absent.

39. Dreams: They each have their own goals and their individual nightmares, but the two of them will always, always have each other.

80. Words: They had no use for pretty words; all they needed was a glance or a touch to know they were loved.

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So! I hope you enjoyed my first published DeiSaku! I know _Pen and Paper_ is sort of a cheat in that it can be read as more than one sentence, and I apologize for that... But still, it works in the end, right?

Please feel free to leave any critique you might have! I don't have a beta reader so there's no way for me to get feedback before I post!

As for my usual ANs, I feel this one is actually quite self-explanatory and doesn't really require them.

_Ja na!_


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